Improvement in devices for manufacturing centers of watch-cases



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. T. MUELLER.

Device for Manufacturing Centers of Watch-Ceses.

No. 219,594. Patented slept. 16,1879.

EEK/1111111 NAFErERS. PHOTO-UTMDGRAFHER. wASHmGTON, D C.

2 Sheet s-Sheet'l 2.

' T; MUELLER. Devine for Manufacturing Centers of Watch-Gases.

No. 219,594. Ggafented sept. 16,1879.

mvENTnR 00cm landen, 0. a. 5M

WITNESSES N. FETES, PHOTO LIYHO wAsmNGToN, D C.

UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE MUELLER, OF PHILADELPHIA7 PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO I THOMAS B. HAGrSTOZ` AND CHARLES N. THORPE, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR MANUFACTURING CENTERS 0F WATCH-CASES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 219,594., dated September 16, 187 9; application filed NovemberQO, 1878.

10 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, THEoDoRE MUELLER, of the city and county of Philadelphia, .and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Devices for Manufacturing the Centers of Watch-Gases, and I do hereby declare the following to be a sufficiently full, clear, and

exact description thereof to enable others skilled in the art to make and use the said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, forming a component part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the forming of a watch-case center from a flat plate of metal by cutting, drawing, and com-` pressing, so as to preserve the greatest strength of thematerial with the least abrasion of the external surface bymeans of dies and cutters, hereinafter more particularly described. My method is peculiarly adapted to the manufacture of plated cases, for the watch-case center, when it leaves the dies, needs no turning out, which turning out would, in almost every case, expose the baser metal.

Figure 1 shows the dies and cutters employed in the first operation, in section; Fig. l, the blank or shell resulting from the action of the dies in Fig. 1, in section; Fig. 2, the

dies used in the second operation, also in section Fig. 2a, the blank or shell resulting from the second operation, in section, Fig. 3, the third set of dies, also in section; Fig. 381, the blank or shell "resulting from their operation, also in section. Fig. 4 shows the dies employed in the fourth operation, and Fig. 4f" the blank resulting. Fig. 5 is a plan of the collapsible segmental core used in the fourth and fifth steps in the process. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show the arrangement of the collapsible core. Fig. 7 is the die used in the last operation, and Fig. 5ZL is asection of the resulting product7 a finished watch-center ready for the attachment of the pendant and hinges.

The sections here shown are all made on a plane coincident with their vertical axes. A plan view of the same dies, blanks, and finished center would be circular in form.

In Fig. l, a represents a fiat plate of metal,

from which the center 5a is to be formed. In

the die E, B isa cutting-collar, fitting accuby suitable screws passing through the die E, f

and provided with two or more springs, g g, tending' to press it downward, as shown in the 'gure A further downward movement of the die E forces thecircular disk into the lower die, G. The ring F, pressing the disk upon the sloping face of collar c, prevents it from buckling or wrinkling as it is-gradually compressed into the cylindrical portion of the die G until it is fully formed therein, when the punch A cuts out its central port-ion, which is discharged through the central opening', J. Encircling the die G is the ring D, and within is the ring K, both held upward by the springs H H. Under 'the downward pressure of the die E and the blanks these rings yield; but when the die E is withdrawn the rings return to their normal position, and the `ring D delivers the externa-l waste of the plate u, and the ring K delivers the blank from within, and Fig. 1a is the resulting product.

Fig. 2 shows the dies used in the second op eration.

The blank l, being placed over the die M, isV subjected to pressure from the die lb, and is discharged from the die by the plunger N.

It will be observed that the conical form of the plunger N expands the conical portion of the blank la in the reverse direction-th at is, its edge, instead of being of its least diameter, is, by this die, given a greater diameter than the shoulder X, the edge of the blank 1a being folded back, as it were, upon itself to form the shoulder. In the third operation, in which the blank 2iL is subjected to the action of the dies shown in Fig. 3, this shoulder is finished, as at X', and forms the support upon which the movement rests. It is believed that this setting or shoulder has heretofore always been soldered in but by my process, as here described, it isformed so perfectly as to need of the center.

no turning outor after-finish, and at much which I have knowledge.

The third operation, then, using the dies shown in Fig. 3, develops the blank 2fb into 3, which finishes that side of the center. Should the blank stick in die P, itis delivered by the plunger Q.

Fig. 4 is a vertical view, partly in section, of the dies by which the fourth opera-tion is performed, and blank 3Lnb is transformed into 4a. By this operation a portion of the cylindrical part of 3fL is contracted into a conical form, ready for the finishing step.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6, V V and V V show the collapsible segmental core, which must be introduced within the cylindrical portion of blank 4a to prevent it from collapsing under the pressure necessary to contract its upper part into the conical form in 4 and the 1inished form of 5f. This core is in four parts. The segments VV are attached to slides R R, moving horizontally within the frame supporting the die U, and thel segments V V are attached to the slides S S at right angles to .It R. The segments V V simply move horizontally, withdrawing far enough to permit the blank 3 to be placed within the die U. The other segments, V V, have a. double movement-first, they are withdrawn from the blank, and they are dropped down, as shown in Figs. 5 and t,6, below the line of the segments V V to permit the withdrawal of V V. This is more fully shown in Fig. 6, where c c are vertical slides bearing the segments V V. These slides are operated by levers, one of which, d, is shown, the other being similar. This lever is pivoted to the frame. A11 open slotted jaw engages a pin on c, and the motion of the lever is controlled by a pin, c, on the rod T, which strikes in a jaw.

It is possible to use but two parts of this segmentalcore. In that case the center would need to be subjected to two operations of the die, the blank being turned one-fourtl1 of a revolution after the iirst compression. The upper die might be partially cut away, so as not to bear unduly on the unsupported part The four-parted segment, however, as here described, will be found to produce the best results.

The arrangement of the dies and segmental core is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, while Fig. 6 is a plan of the segments as withdrawn.

In Fig. 4 the die T, by means of which a part of the cylindrical portion of .5a is contracted, as vshown in 4, is attached to the plate W, which rests on four vertical movable rods passing through the frame-work carrying the die U. One of these rods, T, is shown in dotted lines. The others are similar. Each of these rods has a roller, b b', turning freely upon a central pivot and running within a'cam-groove in the slides R It and S S.

When the plate W is-rai'sed high enough to introduce the blank 3 into the die Il the segments of the core are retracted, as shown'in Figs. 5 and 6, permitting the free introduction of the blank. As the die T descends the rollers b move the slides R R, carryingthe segments V V into the positions shown in Fig. 4, when they closely iit the inside of the blank. A little further downward movement ofthe die T, and the pins e on j strike the jaws of the lever d, which raises the slide c and segments V to the plane of the segments V V. A little further downward movement of T, and the rollers b move the slides S S and carry the segments V V into the blank and complete the circle. On further downward movement the conical inner face of the die T strikes the blank, and contracts it in the form shown in Fig. 4a. At the same time the cylindrical part f enters within the upper cylindrical part of the segments and holds or supports them with additional rmness within the blank. The blank 4a results from this operation.

Substituting the die in Fig. 7 for T, Fig. 4, and placing'4lb in the die U and subjecting it to a similar operation, the resulting product is Fig. 5f, which is a section of a finished watch-center, fully and perfectly formed, need- .l

ing no turning, and ready to receive the pendant and hinges.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

. l. The herein-described improvement 1n the art of forming in watch-case centers thesetting for the movement, consisting, rst, in re-.

versing` the slope of the conical part of blank la, so that its diameter from the outer edge shallv increase instead of decrease; second, forming a portion of this sloping conical part flat and the rest cylindrical, the flat part having a less diameter than the cylinder, substantially as shown and described.

- 2. The combination of the die Gr, the eX- ternal ring, D, for delivering the waste, the internal ring, K, delivering the blank, the plate b, carrying the pins supporting the rings D and K, and the springs H H, substau tially as described.

3. The combination of the die L, consisting of the case l, the spring i, and the conical plunger N, said plunger having 'outside its conical surface a series ot' fiat and annular steps, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the die l?, consisting of the plunger Q, the plate 19, carrying the sul'iporting-pins, and the springs J J, substantially as described.

5. In 'a collapsible segmental core for the manufacture of watch-case centers, t-he combination of the two core-segments fixed to horizontal movable slides with suitable means for placing and retracting them from the center.

6. In a collapsible segmental core for the manufacture of Watohease centers, the com- S, carrying the vertical slide C, providedwith bination of the core-segments, two of which the core-segment V', the rod T', roller b', pin are fixed to vertical movable slides carried e', and lever d, substantially as described.

by horizontal movable slides and the other two on horizontal slides, with, suitable means 71H MUELLER for placing` and retract-ing them from. the oen- Witnesses; ters, substantially as described. HENRY PLEAsANTs, Jr.,

7. The combination of the horizontal slide B.H. LOWRY. 

